Boeing Admits Wing Safety Issue, Says Replacement Too Costly

ORLANDO, Fla. --

Boeing admits to WESH 2 News the problem that caused damage to the wing of an American Airlines jet last weekend has been around since the early 1990s.

The airline manufacturer said instead of ordering the part replaced, it simply suggested airlines keep close watch on it.

The Orlando-bound passengers who watched part of their plane’s wing disintegrate before their eyes last weekend were not the first to experience that.

IMAGES: Passenger Photographs Wing Damage

Boeing, the manufacturer of the plane involved in Saturday’s incident, tells WESH 2 News similar delamination has occurred on the wings of Boeing 757s and 767s over a dozen times, forcing several emergency landings.

In the early 1990s, Boeing said the company did an extensive study and found moisture could, over time, cause the delamination, so it redesigned the part.

But for the more than 1,000 planes still flying with that original part, no replacement was mandated even though Boeing admits it is a "safety issue."

"In this instance, it is seen as a safety issue, a potential safety issue. But it is one that can be managed so that an aircrew can divert and bring that aircraft down safely,” said Boeing spokesman Peter Conte.

"But wouldn't that be grounds enough to consider ordering a replacement of this part across the board?" asked WESH 2’s Amanda Ober.

"It can be quite costly if an operator flies a number of the same type of model of airplane. It can be quite costly to just basically change out a number of parts,” replied Conte.

Boeing's solution, backed by the FAA, was for the airlines to do preventative maintenance on the part, and in a worst case scenario, make an emergency landing.

There is debate over if wing delamination jeopardizes passenger safety. Some said it can just make a flight more rough, but in a 2005 FAA airworthiness directive regarding the issue, the government called it an "unsafe condition," saying it could "reduce maneuver and stall margins and consequently reduce controllability of the airplane.”

Boeing added if a defective part ever had the potential to cause a plane to crash, then replacing that part would become mandatory.

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